Detergent composition



Patented Aug. 28, 1945 2,383,740 DETERGENT COMPOSITION NathanielBeverley Tucker, Louisville, Ky., assignor to The Procter & GambleCompany, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio No Drawing. ApplicationDecember 6, 1943,

Serial No. 513,188

19 Claims.

- This invention relates to detergent and cleansing compositions ofimproved efficiency, and more particularly to compositions containing aan essential detergent material an organic sulfuric reaction productcontaining in its molecular structure a sulfonate or sulfate group.

It is an object of the present invention to pro vide superior detergentand cleansing compositions.

Another object is to provide improved detergent compositions fromsynthetic detergents,

A further and more pecific object is to improve the cleansing emciencyof organic sulfate and sulfonate detergents.

I have found that certain related amide compounds are particularlyeffective in enhancing the cleansing and detergent properties ofsynth'etic detergents such as organic sulfuric reaction productscontaining sulfonate or sulfate groups. These compounds are the amidesof water soluble hydroxy carboxylic acids and allphatic primary aminescontaining ten to fourteen carbon atoms in the aliphatic chain and thecorresponding mixed amides of mixed aliphatic amines in which the alkylradicals correspond to mixed fatty acids containing predominantly fattyacids of ten to fourteen carbon atoms, such as those obtainable fromoils of the coconut oil group. By themselves these amides are notcleansing or laundering agents, nor do they make a practical detergentfrom materials initially lacking in these properties, such as Turkey redoil, triisopropyl naphthalene sulfonate, sodium butyl sulfate, and othermaterials including wetting, softening, and penetrating agents, lackingin sumcient detergent power to be classed as detergents. However, whenthese amides are added to synthetic compounds alrealy sumcientlyeflective in cleansing power to be classed as detergents they markedlyenhance the cleansin effect thereof.

Specific examples of amides which come within the scope of thisinvention and which may be employed in the practice thereof, are:hydroxy acetic acid'amide of dodecyl amine, lactice acid amide ofdecyl'amine, tartaric acid amide of Y tetradecyl amine, and h'ydroxyacetic acid amide of the mixed amines in which the alkyl radicalscorrespond to the mixed fatty acids of coconut oil or other oils of thecoconut oil group, such as palm kernel oil for example. The corrspondingamides of other water soluble hydroxy carboxylic acids including malic,citric and gluconic may also be employed.

The amides described above are especially useful in conjunction withwater soluble salts of the higher alkyl sulfuric acids possessingdistinct and pronounced detergent power of suflicient value to make theproduct useful as a cleansin and laundering agent. Of outstandinginterest in this connection is the use of the invention in theimprovement of already known detergents in which the principal activeingredient is a water soluble salt of lauryl sulfuric acid or oleylsulfuric acid, for example trieth'anolammonium alkyl sulfate obtainedfrom the mixed higher alcohols produced by the reduction of coconut oil,or the sodium alkyl sulfate derived from the higher alcohols of spermoil.

Also, the amides of the water soluble hydroxy carboxylic acids hereincovered may be employed to enhance the detergent and cleansing power ofotherwate soluble salts of alkyl sulfuric acids having eight to eighteencarbon atoms in the molecule which have suflicient detergent power tocharacterize them as detergents for use in cleansing and launderingvoperations. The amides are especially useful in enhancing the detergentpower of water soluble salts of those aikyl sulfuric acids obtained bythe sulfation of high'er alcohols resulting from the reduction of oilsof the coconut oil group, such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil forexample.

In addition to the alkyl sulfates above mentioned, water soluble saltsof other alkyl sulfuric acids having pronounced detergent power areimproved by the addition thereto of amide compounds of the type abovementioned. Thus, for example, highly beneficial results will be obtainedin the use of these amides with water soluble salts of sulfuric acidester of higher fatty acid monoglycerides (sodium salt of the coconutoil fatty acid ester of 1,2-dihydroxy propane-3-sulfuric acid ester) andof the sulfated higher fatty acid alkylolamides (sodium salt of sulfatedcoconut oil fatty acid ethanolamlde) The amide improving agents of thepresent invention may also be employed with compounds having a true'sulfonate group and possessing a substantial power to wash and cleansein aqueous solution in the absence of the enhancing agent. For example,beneficial results will be noted when the hydroxy carboxylic acid amidesare employed with water soluble salts of higher mono-fatty acid estersof 1,2-dihydroxy propane- 3-sulfonic acid, the sodium salt of thecoconut oil fatty acid ester of this sulfonic acid being an excellentexample of this type of detergent. Beneficial results will be noted alsowhen these amides are employed with such detergents as the water solublesalts of the higher fatty acid monoesters of lower molecular weighthydroxy alkyl sulfonic acids (oleic acid ester of the sodium salt ofisethionic acid) and of the higher fatty acid amides of lower molecularamino alkyl sulfonic acids (ammonium salt of oleic acid amide of N-methyl taurine). Likewise these amides may be used with water solublesalts of the higher alcohol esters of sulfocarboxylic acids (sodium saltof the lauryl alcohol ester of sulfoacetic acid), higher alkylatedbenzene sulfonic acids (potassium salt of the sulfonic acid derived fromthe condensation product of benzene and a chlorinated kerosene fractioncontaining predominantly twelve carbon atoms per molecule), and ethersof high molecular alcohols and lower hydroxy sulfonic acids (monolaurylether of 1,2-dihydroxy propane-Zi-sodium sulfonate).

Specific reference to the above detergents is given only for the purposeof illustrating various types of detergent compounds which can berendered more efficient by the addition of the hydroxy carboxylic acidamides of the present invention and I do not wish to be limited thereto.All similar synthetic compounds having sufficient detergent power to beclassed as cleansing or laundering agents may be used in place thereofand therefore come within the scope of the invention.

In the practice of the invention the amount of hydroxy acid amide whichshould be used to improve the detergent efficiency of the variousdetergents will depend in a large part on the particular combination ofingredients. In general, however, the amount of hydroxy acid amide willbe less than the amount of detergent ingredient. I prefer to employ fromabout 10 per cent to about I5 per cent hydroxy acid amide based on themixture of amide and active detergent, but improvement may be obtainedwith smaller proportions and larger proportions, such as proportions inthe range of 5 per cent to 40 per cent hydroxy acid amide for example.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingexamples, but these examples are merely illustrative of the manner inwhich the invention may be practiced and are not to be construed aslimiting in any sense. All parts are by weight.

Example 1.To 94 parts of commercial sodium alkyl sulfate prepared fromthe higher alcohols obtained by the reduction of coconut oil andcontaining 40 per cent active detergent ingredient are added 6 partshydroxy acetamide of lauryl amine. This composition may be employed as adetergent in laundering operations with improved results as to bothdetergent efficiency and sudsing.

Example 2.--An improved detergent is prepared by mixing 5 parts of thehydroxy acetamide of decyl amine and 95 parts of a commercial sodiumalkyl sulfate prepared from the higher alcohols obtained from coconutoil by reduction and containing 37.8 per cent active ingredient. Adetergent thus prepared is much superior to the commercial alkyl sulfatealone in cleansing operations.

Example 3.--To 95 parts of the commercial sodium alkyl sulfate employedin Example 2 are added 5 parts of the hydroxy acetamide of the mixtureof amines in which the alkyl radicals correspond to mixed fatty acids ofcoconut oil. The composition thus prepared is superior to the detergentalone in both sudsing and cleansing operations, and is especiallyvaluable in the laundering of woolen fabrics.

Example 4.A detergent of superior washing power is prepared by mixingparts of Igepon T containing 38 per cent sodium salt of oleic acid amideof N -methyl taurine as active detergent ingredient with 5 parts lacticacid amide of lauryl amine,

Example 5.-An improved detergent is prepared by mixing 95 parts of adetergent containing as active constituent 38 per cent of the coconutoil fatty acid mono-ester of 1,2-dihydroxy propane- 3-sodium sulfonatewith 5 parts hydroxy acetamide of lauryl amine.

In the above examples I have repeatedly referred to the improved washingpower of the detergents prepared in accordance with my invention, and Iwish to point out that this superiority is real and apparent to the userand represents a source of substantial saving in detergent. For example,detergents such as those of the specific illustrations wash to maximumwhiteness and give maximum suds at lower concentrations than thedetergent without added hydroxy acid amide as above set forth. Ingeneral, a solution of a detergent preparation made in accordance withmy invention will wash as white or whiter than a solution containing amuch larger concentration of detergent without the added amide.

The present invention is not limited to any particular method of mixingthe hydroxy carboxylic acid amines with the synthetic detergents andthey may be incorporated in the detergent mixture in any of the forms inwhich the detergents are manufactured. For example, the hydroxycarboxylic acid amides may be mechanically mixed in. crutched into thedetergent in the form of a slurry, or they may be added to a solution.of the detergent. While such ready-for-use mixtures may be manufacturedand may be preferable for many purposes, it is likewise within the scopeof my invention to add the hydroxy carboxylic acid amides to the waterprior to the adding of the detergent, or vice versa, or to add both theamide and detergent simultaneously but separately to the water.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure myLetters Patent is:

1. A cleansing and laundering composition comprising essentially awater-soluble salt of an organic sulfuric reaction product having in itsmolecular structure a radical selected from the group consisting ofsulfonic acid and sulfuric acid ester radicals, the said salt havingpronounced detergent power, and an added amide, which is a derivative ofa water-soluble aliphatic hydroxy carboxylic acid and an aliphaticprimary amine containing 10 to 14 carbon atoms in the aliphatic chain;the amount by weight of the amide being less than the amount by weightof the said water-soluble salt but sufficient to enhance the detergentpower thereof.

2. A cleansing and laundering composition claimed in claim 1, in whichthe amine is a mixture of amines whose alkyl radicals correspond tomixed fatty acids consisting predominantly of fatty acids having ten tofourteen carbon atoms.

3. A cleansing and laundering composition claimed in claim 1, in whichthe amine is a mixture of amines whose alkyl radicals correspond tomixed fatty acids obtained from an oil of the coconut oil group andconsisting predominantly of fatty acids having ten to fourteen carbonatoms.

4. The composition claimed in claim 1, in which the amine is a mixtureof amines-whose alkyl radicals correspond to mixed coconut oil fattyacids consisting predominantly of fatty acids having ten to fourteencarbon atoms.

5. The composition claimed in claim- 1, in which the amine is laurylamine.

6. The composition claimed in claim 1, in which the water solublealiphatic hydroxy carboxylic acid is a water soluble aliphatic hydroxymonocarboxylic acid.

7. A cleansing and laundering composition comprising essentially amixture of a water soluble salt of an alkyl sulfuric acid having eightto eighteen carbon atoms having pronounced de tergent properties, and anamide which is a derivitive of a water soluble aliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acid and an aliphatic-primary amine containing ten tofourteen carbon atoms in the ali-- phatic chain, the amount by weight ofthe amide 'rivative of a water soluble aliphatic hydroxy .car-

boxylic acid and a mixture of amines whose alkyl radicals correspond tomixed fatty acids of an oil of the coconut oil group and consistingpredominantly of fatty acids having ten to fourteen carbon atoms, theamount by weight of the amide being less than the amount by weight ofthe water-soluble salt but suflicient to enhance the detergent powerthereof.

9. A cleansing and laundering composition comprising essentially amixture of a water soluble salt of an alkyl sulfuric acid having eightto eighteen carbon atoms and having pronounced detergent properties, andan amide which is a derivative of a water soluble aliphatic hydroxymonocarboxylic acid and a mixture of amines whose alkyl radicalscorrespond to mixed fatty acids of an oil of the coconut oil group andconsisting predominantly of fatty acids having ten to fourteen carbonatoms, the amount by weight of the amide being less than the amount byweight of the water-soluble salt but sufllcient to enhance the detergentpowenthereof.

10. A cleansing and laundering composition comprising essentially amixture of a water so]- uble salt of an alkyl sulfuric acid having eightto eighteen carbon atoms and having pronounced detergent properties, andan amide which is a derivative of a water soluble aliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acid and a mixture of amines whose alkyl radicals correspondto mixed fatty acids of coconut oil, the amount by weight of the amidebeing less than the amount by weight of the wateer-soluble salt butsufllcient to enhance the detergent power thereof.

11. A cleansing and laundering composition comprising essentially amixture of a water soluble salt of a mixture of alkyl sulfuric acidsconsisting predominantly of lauryl sulfuric acid and an amide which is aderivative of a water soluble aliphatic hydroxy carboxylic acid and amixture of aliphatic amines whose alkyl radicals correspond to mixedfatty acids of coconut oil, the amount by weight of the amide being lesscomprising essentially a mixture of a water soluble salt of a mixture ofalkyl sulfuric acids derived from higher alcohols obtained bythereduction of coconut oil and an amide which is a derivative of hydroxyacetic acid and a mixture of aliphatic amines whose alkyl radicalscorrespond to mixed fatty acids of an oil of the coconut oil group, theamount by weight of the amide being less than the amount by weight ofthe water-soluble salt but sufficient to enhance the detergent powerthereof.

13. A cleansing and laundering composition comprising essentially amixture of a water soluble salt of a mixture of alkyl sulfuric acidsderived from higher alcohols obtained by the reduction of coconut oiland an amide which is a derivative of hydroxy acetic acid and laurylamine, the amount by weight of the amide being less than the amount byweight of the water-soluble salt but'sufficient to enhance the detergentpower thereof.

14. A. cleansing and laundering composition comprising essentially amixture of a water soluble salt of a mixture of alkyl sulfuric acidsdebut sufllcient to enhance the detergent power thereof.

15. A cleansing and laundering composition comprising essentially amixture of a water soluble salt of the coconut oil fatty acid mono-esterof 1,2-dihydroxy propane-S-sulfonic acid and an amide which is aderivativel of a water soluble aliphatic hydroxy carboxylic'acid and anormal primary aliphatic primary amine having ten to fourteen carbonatoms in the alkyl radical, the amount by weight of the 'amide beingless than the amount by weight of the water-soluble salt but sufllcientto enhance the detergent power thereof.

16. A cleansing composition comprisingessentially a mixture of a watersoluble salt of coconut oil monoglyceride sulfuric acid and an amidewhich is a derivative of a water soluble aliphatic hydroxy carboxylicacid and a normal primary aliphatic primary amine having ten to fourteencarbon atoms in the allwlradicaL'the amount by weight of the amide beingless than the amount by weight of the water-soluble salt but sufficientto enhance the detergent power thereof.

17. A cleansing and laundering composition comprising essentially amixture ofa water soluble salt of a mixture of alkyl sulfuric acidsderived from higher alcohols obtained by the reduction of coconut oiland a smaller amount of an amide which is a derivative of gluconic acidand a mixture of aliphatic amines in which the alkyl radithan the amountby weight of the water-soluble salt but suilicient to enhance thedetergent power thereof.

12. A cleansing and laundering composition 'cals correspond to mixedfatty acids of coconut oil, the amount by weight of the amide being lessthan the amount by weight of the water-soluble salt but suflicient toenhance the detergent power thereof.

18. A cleansing composition claimed in claim 1, in which the amount ofamide is from about five per cent to about forty per cent of theessential detergent material.

19. A cleansing composition comprising essen tially a mixture of adetergent having pronounced detergent power and selected from the groupconsisting of water-soluble salts of higher allwl sulfuric acids, higherfatty acid esters of lower molecular weight hydroxy alkyl sulfonicacids, higher fatty acid amides of low molecular amino alkyl sulfonicacids. higher fatty acid monogiyceride sulfuric acids, higher alcoholesters of wifecarboxylic acids, higher alkylated benzene suli'onicacids, higher alcohol ethers of lower hydroxy alkyl sulfonic acids andhigher fatty aci alkyloiamide sulfuric acids, and an imide ch is a 4asaano derivative of a water-solubloallphatic hydroxy carboxylic acidand an aliphatic primary amine containing 10 to 14 carbon atoms in thealiphatic chain, the amount by weight of the amide being less than theamount by weight of the detergent but suflicient to enhance thedetergent power thereof.

NATHANIEL BEVERLEY TUCKER.

